“The Earthquake”

Date

4-30-1812

Newspaper

The Times

Page and Column

Page 3, Column 1

Newspaper Location

Charleston, South Carolina

Serial Number

460

Abstract

Prayer done in response to the earthquakes, author unknown.

Transcript

THE EARTHQUAKE! BUT Oh! what means that ruinous roar? Why fall these tottering feet? Earth to its centre feels the Godhead's power, and trembling at his touch, through all its pillars, and in every pore, hurls to the ground, with one convulsive heave; precipitating domes, and towns and towers, the work of ages. Crushed beneath the weight of general devastation, millions find one common grave; not even a widow left to wail her sons; the house that should protect, entombs its master; and the faithless plain. If there he flies for help, with suddenly yawn, starts from beneath him! Shield me, gracious Heaven! O snatch me from destruction. If this globe, this solid globe, which thine own hand hath made so firm and sure; if this my steps betray; if my own mother, Earth, from whence I spring, rise up with rage unnatural, to devour her wretched offspring, whither shall I fly? Where look for succor?-Where, but up to thee, Almighty Father? Save, O save thy supplicant from horrors such as these! At thy good time let death approach; I seek not-let him but come in genuine form, not with thy vengeance armed, too much for man to bear-O rather lend thy kindly aid to mitigate his stroke; and at that hour, when all aghast I stand (a trembling candidate for thy comparison) on this world's brink, and look into the next; when my soul, starting from the dark unknown, casts back a wishful look, and fondly clings to her frail prop; unwilling to be wrenched from this fair scene, from all customed joys, and all the lovely relatives of life; then shed thy comforts o'er me, then put on the gentiest of thy looks. Let no dark crimes, in all their hideous forms, then starting up, plant themselves around my couch in grim array, and stab my bleeding heart with two edged torture, sense of past guilt and future woe-far be the ghastly crew! And in their steed, let cheerful memory, from her purest source, lead forth a goodly train of virtues fair, cherished in earliest youth, now paying back, with ten fold usury, the pious care, and pouring o'er my wounds the heavenly balm of conscious innocence. But chiefly Thou, whom soft-eyed pity once led down from Heaven to bleed for Mau, and teach him how to live-and, oh! still harder lesson, how to die; disdain not Thou to smooth the restless bed of sickness and pain. Forgive the tear that feeble Nature drops, calm all her fears, wake all her hopes, animate her faith: till my wrapt soul, anticipating Heaven, bursts from the thraldom of encumbering clay, and on the wing of extacy upborne, spring into Liberty, Light, and Life.

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